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24/10/2026 11:18 am
Topic starter
Our first ingredient-names thread focused on West African soups. This one covers Ghanaian, East African, Central and Southern African kitchens. What do you call it at home, and what is it called where you live now?
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24/10/2026 11:18 am
Topic starter
Tokunbo Central’s answer: here are names that help people find these ingredients abroad. Add yours.
- Kontomire (Ghana): cocoyam or taro leaves. Spinach is the usual substitute.
- Shito (Ghana): black pepper sauce made with dried fish and shrimp; sold in jars in African stores.
- Kenkey / dokono: fermented corn dough, sold frozen. Banku: fermented corn and cassava dough.
- Sukuma wiki (East Africa): collard greens or kale.
- Ugali / sadza / nshima / pap: white maize meal (cornmeal), sold as “white maize meal” or “mealie meal”.
- Matoke (Uganda): green cooking bananas; green plantain or green bananas from Caribbean and Asian stores work.
- Cassava leaves (pondu, saka saka, mpondu): sold frozen in African stores.
- Berbere and mitmita (Ethiopia and Eritrea): spice blends; injera is made from teff flour, now sold in many health-food stores.
- Pili pili: small hot chillies, close to bird’s eye chilli.
- Moringa: also called drumstick leaves in Indian stores.
Your turn: which ingredient from your country is hardest to find abroad, and what do you use instead?